The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-27
THEY ARE NOT A BURDEN.

would be some ground for the clamorous de-
mand TO have them reduced, which the sol
dier-haters are raising for the purpose OF
defeating pensions.
But they are not.
No man in this country, outside Of few
manufacturers and dealers, is conscious that
he is taxed to pay dollar into the United
States Treasury. No man outside of those
excepted would be particle better off if the
taxes from which pensions are paid were
taken of. He would not get his beer, his
cigars his smoking-tobacco his whisky, or
any of the necessaries of life a cent cheaper.
The revenues of the United States are
drawn from two great sources: duties on
imports and internal revenue taxation.
The duties on imports are levied on arti-
cles Of luxury, such as wines, brandies, per-
fumery, jewelry, etc, and on things the
protection of which public policy requires
should be encouraged in this country, such
as cotton manufactures, steel rails, cutlery,
sugar, etc Every one will agree that for
eign luxuries should be highly taxed, and
most will say that it is wise TO levy taxes
to discourage the purchase of foreign pro-
ductions, and encourage the buying of our
home products. This removes the question
of customs duties from consideration as
"burdensome," and leaves us TO consider
only those taxes under the internal revenue
system.
The schedule of internal revenue taxation
is as follows:
Ale. per barrel OF 81 gallons. 81 90
Beer, per barrel Of 81 90
branuy, per gallon. W
Brewers, manufacturing 500 barrels ormore
annual lOO W
4 manufacturing less than 500 barrels an
nuaIly - .............. ................. so 90
Cigars manufacturers of special 90
| Cigars Of all descriptions, made Of tobacco or
any substitute per 90
Cigarets, not weighing more than three
pounds per 900, per SO
Cigarets, weight exceeding three pounds per
l,uoO per l.OOO-...... w
Cigars or cigarets. imported. in addition TO
import duty 20 pay same as above.
Liquors, fermented. per 90
Liquors, distilled, per gallon................. %
Liquor dealers (Wholesael. special taxi. 100 90
Malt liquor dealers lwboesale 50 90
Liquor dealers tretaiD, special 25 90
Malt liquor dealers (retas 20 90
Manufacturers OF % %
Manufacturers Of Stills for each still or worm
Oleomargarine, cents per pound-.............. "
| manufactures Of oleomargarine or other
substitutes for butter Special annual tax. COO 90
| Wholesale dealers in oleomargarine.
Special annual .........-............. $50 90
| retail dealers in oleomargarine. Special
annual As 90
Rectifers, special tax, less than 500 barrels.
500; above 500 200 %
Snuff. or snuff -four, manufactured Of tobae-
co, or any substitute. per pound.....-......-.
Spirits, distilled per proof Gallon.........,.. q
Stamps, for distilled spirits for export,
wholesale liquor dealers. special bonded
warehouse. distillery warehouse and recti-
fed spirits. each II
Tobacco, all kinds. per pound......-.....-......
Tobacco. dealers in nlanufactured......-....- A
Tobacco. manufacturers of.......... u
Tobacco, dealers in leaf wholesale.......... IL q
Tobacco, dealers In leaf, retail. land 30 cents
per dollar sales above $500 per annunl)- $50 o.
(But farmers and producers may sell tobac-
co OF their own raising TO consumers 10 an
amount not exceeding 500 annually
Tobacco pedlers. travelling with more than
two horses. mules etc.. .................... 30 o
Tobacco pedlers. travelling with two horses,
mules or other Is o.
Tobocco pedlers, travelling with one horse
mule or other animal ...... y
Tobacco pedlers, travelling on foot or by pub
/ a. npp
Tobacco. snuff and cigars for export, stamps
for
Whisky, per proof gallon .
Wines and champagne (imitaiion) not made
from grapes grown in the United States,
and liquors not made from grapes, cur
rants. rhubarb berries grown ina the
} United States, but rec,ifed or mixed with
distilled spirits. or by infusion of any mat
: ter in spirits, TO be sold as wine subsii-
tute for il. per dozen bottles OF more than
a pint and not than quart.............. 2 4
Imitation wines containing not more than
one pint. per dozen bottles .................. 2
Let any thinking man ask himself if h.
e would be a cent better off if this burden
Of internal revenue taxation were taken OFF
Beer and whisky would certainly not be an,
cheaper to the men who drink those liquors
The only difference would be that the brew
ers and distillers would be richer by tn
amount of the tax which they now pay
As these men and hquor-dealers general,
q are getting rich faster than any other me-
i in the country, it is certainly not much @
!, an object 10 accelerate their accumulation @
wealth. There may be some reasons for tax
, ing the tax off tobacco, but if il is done tn
= cigar-smOkers, the cigaret-burners, and tn
Il tobacco-chewers will not get any benefit fror
the reduction. The price to them will re
main the same. Is the keeper of a cigar
u stand going 10 reduce the price of his ware
because he is relieved from paying the insil
meant tax of 20 cents a month? Is fiv,
L cent cigar going TO be sold for less than fiy
9 cents, because the trihing tax of three-tentt
er | of a cent is remoyedp